It’s ridiculous how fast I move.
When I step out into the chilled morning air, he’s leaning against his SUV with his hood up and hands in the pockets of his joggers, eyes finding me instantly like he’s been tracking my heartbeat. The look he gives me melts something low in my stomach.
“Hi,” I say, breathless for no reason excepthim.
He pushes off the car, closes the distance in three long strides, and cups my jaw, kissing me like he didn’t just see me this morning. Slow at first, then deeper, his thumb sweeping my cheek.
“Morning,” he murmurs against my lips. “Get in. I need you close before today gets insane.”
I buckle in, and before he pulls away, he reaches for my hand, lacing our fingers together. “You sure you slept?” he asks, studying me.
“Mostly.” Partial truth. I slept wrapped against him. I just didn’t stay asleep.
“Good. You’re with me tonight, right? In the family section?”
I nod. “Ryan already yelled across the corridor yesterday that he was saving me a seat.”
Callum huffs a smile. “Of course he did.” Then his expression shifts, something tense flickering behind his eyes. “And… about last night. There’s more.”
My stomach dips. “More?”
He squeezes my hand. “Talia posted again early this morning. A lot of it is bullshit. I don’t want you seeing it and wondering where I stand.” He glances over at me, his expression tight. “I’m with you. I don’t want her. I don’t miss her. I’m not confused. It’s you.”
The words hit with a force I wasn’t braced for. He must see it, because he softens.
“I mean it,” he says. “You’re the one I think about. The one I go home to. The one I want with me tonight.”
Heat curls through me, unexpected and overwhelming. I squeeze his fingers back. “Good. Because I’m not going anywhere.” His exhale is sharp, relieved, and he lifts my hand to kiss the back of it before pulling onto the main road.
Callum keeps brushing his thumb over the back of my hand as we walk up the tunnel inside the arena, and the tiny, absentminded touch does something ridiculous to my heartbeat. I’m trying not to look like a complete idiot, but this is the first time I’m here as his girlfriend. The word still feels new, warm, and almost impossible. I can hear the crowd already filtering in, early enough that the sound echoes in the concrete corridor. A few staff members pass and greet him, then glance at me with curious smiles, and each time he squeezes my hand he’s sayingMine. With me.
He stops near the doors that lead to the family section and leans down, brushing a slow, grounding kiss against my mouth. “You sure you’re okay here? I have to head to warm-ups.”
“I’ll be fine,” I say, even though my stomach is fluttering like a trapped bird. “I’ll sit with the others. They’ve been really nice.”
“And I’ll find you. I always do.” His mouth curves, then he kisses me again. It’s one of those soft, sweet kisses that makes my toes curl harder than anything filthy ever could. When he finally pulls back, I swear there’s a spark of something raw in his eyes, something protective that hasn’t dimmed since he showed up early this morning to drive me to uni.
He’d barely waited for me to get into the car before telling me there were new posts from Talia. He’d said calmly that he’d handled it. That he wanted me to hear it from him and not through someone else. And maybe it should’ve made me anxious, but instead it just made me feel chosen. The way his jaw worked, the way his hand flexed on the wheel, the way he said, “I’m with you. I want all of this with you,” like there wasn’t a single doubt left in him. That feeling still hasn’t faded. It’s like it’s woven itself into my skin.
We’re pulled aside by the PR team before he can leave. I’m trying not to feel as though I’m intruding on anything, but the PR Manager, Laura, gives me a warm smile as Callum stands close enough that his arm brushes mine, as if he’s physically reminding everyone in the room exactly where he stands.
“We’ve seen the new posts,” she tells me, and her tone is calm enough that my shoulders loosen. “We’re documenting everything. You haven’t done anything wrong, and you aren’t responsible for her behaviour. The organisation supports you both. You’re safe. And we’re handling it.”
Callum shifts his weight, but he doesn’t step away from me. “She’s trying to get attention. Don’t give it to her. We’re on top of it.”
Laura nods. “Exactly. If anything escalates, we’ll intervene formally. For now, stay focused on the game and each other, not her.”
I let out a breath. “Thank you. Seriously.”
Callum’s pinkie finger slips around mine again, hidden between our bodies. “I told you,” He murmurs in my ear when the PR team dismisses us. “You’re not facing any of this alone. I wanted you to hear it from Laura, not just me.”
And it hits me then, not just the comfort, but the certainty. This isn’t some fling. He’s not keeping me on the edges of his life. He’s pulling me right into the centre without hesitation.
He walks me to the family section, and the front row seat has my name taped on it. My heart trips a little at that. Ryan’s mum waves me over, Lukas’s sister smiles, and suddenly I’m surrounded by warmth, chatter, scarves, and homemade signs. A few people already know my name. A few know I’mCallum’s girl. It feels surreal, like stepping into a world that wasn’t mine before yesterday.
Callum skates out for warm-ups a few minutes later, helmet off, and his eyes sweeping the stands. The breath catches in my throat when he spots me. His whole face changes, it softens, brightens, and becomes something private even though a thousand people are watching.
Then he taps his stick against the glass right in front of me. Hard enough that the vibration echoes through my chest. His grin is cocky and wide as he points at me, his heart and then back to me. The crowd erupts, and Ryan’s mum nudges my arm if this is the most swoon-worthy thing she’s ever seen. My cheeks heat, but God, I can’t look away from him.
